Prayers In the Dark: Lessons From Gethsemane
Jeremy Skaggs March 16, 2025

Our sermon this week takes us to the Garden of Gethsemane, where we witness Jesus facing one of His most challenging moments.

This passage offers profound insights into our own spiritual journeys, especially when we confront difficult choices and divine callings.

Summary:

The sermon explores Jesus’ struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane, emphasizing the tension between His human desires and His divine purpose.

We examine how Jesus responds when God asks Him to do something incredibly difficult, setting an example for us in our own moments of trial.

The message challenges us to consider our response when God leads us into painful or challenging situations, encouraging us to choose relinquishment over rebellion.

Takeaways:

  • God’s love for us doesn’t exempt us from difficult tasks or painful experiences. Even Jesus, whom God calls “beloved,” faces immense challenges.
  • When faced with hard choices, we have two primary responses:
    • to relinquish our will to God or
    • to rebel against His calling.
    • Jesus exemplifies the former, even in His deepest anguish.
  • True faith often grows strongest in moments of uncertainty, unanswered questions, and feelings of abandonment.
  • These are the times when we discover the depth of our devotion to God.

As we move forward this week, I encourage you to reflect on your own “Garden of Gethsemane” moments.

  • Where in your life is God calling you to trust Him more deeply?
  • How can you embrace His will, even when it leads you through difficult paths?

Remember, just as Jesus finds strength in prayer and submission to the Father’s will, we too can find grace and strength in our moments of greatest need.

May God bless you and give you courage as you face your own challenges this week.

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Jeremy

Sermon Outline:

Introduction

Quote: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

  • Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
  • Reflecting on personal challenges

A Divine Love & Common Bond

  • God’s affirmation of love for Jesus
  • Jesus’ early devotion to His Father’s will
  • The Lord’s Prayer and approaching God as Father

Responding to God

  • Two ways to respond: relinquish or rebel
  • Biblical examples of rebellion
    • Moses
    • Jonah
    • Jeremiah

Journey to Suffering

  • Jesus’ predictions of His death and resurrection
  • Jesus’ sorrow in Gethsemane

Navigating Painful Paths

  • Jesus’ request for support from disciples
  • Abandonment by close friends

Faith in the Fire

  • Jesus’ prayer of submission
  • Hebrews 4.14-16: Jesus as our sympathetic high priest

Application for Believers

  • Facing personal Gethsemane moments
  • Trusting God in difficult circumstances
  • Evaluating the depth of faith

Conclusion

  • Matthew 26.46 attitude
  • Call to arise and go to the Savior
  • Invitation for prayer with elders

Sermon Study Guide:

Small Group Guide: When God Asks You to Do Hard Things

Sermon Text:

  • Matthew 26.36-46

Open with Prayer:

  • Begin the session with a prayer, asking God for guidance and openness as you discuss the sermon and its applications.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Reflect on a time when you felt God was asking you to do something difficult. How did you respond, and what was the outcome?
  2. The sermon mentions Jesus’ prayer, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” How do you balance expressing your desires to God while still submitting to His will?
  3. Have you ever experienced a situation where you felt abandoned by those closest to you? How did this affect your relationship with God?
  4. The sermon states, “True faith is often forged in the fire of uncertainty.” Can you share an experience where your faith grew stronger through a challenging or uncertain time?
  5. How does knowing that Jesus experienced deep sorrow and abandonment impact your view of Him and your approach to prayer?
  6. The sermon asks, “Will you still trust Him in your pain?” Discuss how we can maintain trust in God when facing ongoing difficulties or unanswered prayers.

Key Takeaways:

  1. God’s love for Jesus is affirmed multiple times in scripture, highlighting their deep bond.
  2. Jesus exemplifies obedience to God’s will, even when faced with immense suffering.
  3. We have two primary responses when God asks us to do hard things: relinquish or rebel.
  4. True faith is often forged in times of uncertainty and unanswered questions.
  5. Jesus experienced deep sorrow and abandonment in the Garden of Gethsemane, making Him able to sympathize with our weaknesses.

Practical Applications:

  1. This week, practice starting your prayers with “Our Father” as Jesus taught, focusing on approaching God as a loving parent.
  2. Identify an area in your life where you’re struggling to submit to God’s will. Commit to praying about it daily, asking for strength to trust and obey.
  3. Reach out to someone you know who might be going through a difficult time, offering support and presence as Jesus desired from His disciples.
  4. Write a journal entry reflecting on a past hardship and how it shaped your faith. Share insights with the group next week if you’re comfortable.
  5. Memorize Hebrews 4:15-16 as a reminder of Jesus’ ability to sympathize with our weaknesses and the invitation to approach God’s throne with confidence.

Closing Prayer:

  • End the session by praying for each other, specifically in areas where group members are facing challenges or difficult decisions.